Journal Published Online: 25 September 2007
Volume 31, Issue 2

A Simple Triaxial System for Evaluating the Performance of Unsaturated Soils Under Repeated Loading

CODEN: GTJODJ

Abstract

Unsaturated soils constitute a large proportion of the foundation materials supporting infrastructure throughout the world and they are subject to various loading conditions. This paper describes the development of a simple system for testing unsaturated soils under repeated loading. The equipment was comprised of a modified triaxial cell with hydraulic loading system, hall-effect transducers for on-sample strain measurements, and thermocouple psychrometer for suction measurements. A number of undrained monotonic and repeated loading triaxial tests were performed on compacted samples of kaolin clay in order to attest the newly developed system. The results yielded some useful information on the resilient modulus and permanent deformation of a soil when subjected to repeated loading. There is some difference between the failure deviator stress of samples subjected to repeated and monotonic loading, though repeated loading continued to result in a significant permanent deformation. This paper is aimed at demonstrating the key features of the equipment using preliminary data generated as part of the on-going research.

Author Information

Thom, R.
Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
Sivakumar, V.
Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
Brown, J.
Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
Hughes, D.
Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
Pages: 8
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: GTJ100963
ISSN: 0149-6115
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ100963